Successful Parenting - Becoming a New Parent

   by Peter Couchin Family / Parenting    (submitted 2011-09-19)

You've had nine months to prepare. Hormones of the new-to-be mom are raging and she's starting to nest. Dad's a little nervous, not knowing exactly what pregnancy is like but has been able to see the changes in his baby's mother. There's usually a huge welcoming into the baby club with several congratulatory remarks and adorable gifts.

Welcoming a baby into the world is more than just pastels, cute tiny clothes, cribs, and rattles. It's the most amazing experience a person will ever have and if someone could bottle up the feeling of becoming a new parent, they could sell it for millions as it's an indescribable feeling that you'll never forget.

Labor pain can be excruciating and terrifying for the mother-to-be. Why is water gushing on the floor? Why is the father running around in circles almost forgetting the directions to the hospital? It's overwhelming. But when it's all over, the stork has made it's baby delivery, you have the tiniest and most special gift you will ever be granted. The days in the hospital are just the beginning but at least you have hired help. Careful preparation and organization prior to the baby's birth will help you transition your life into taking home a peace of your new family.

Life turns into a series of constant bottles, diapers and sleepless nights and can be a struggle at first. But never fear, with the help of each other and family or friends to help be caregivers, you will soon adjust and truly be able to enjoy the meaning of a family. Emotions will sweep over you in ways that you never knew existed.

The first few months, you hold this tiny object, like a porcelain doll, hoping that it won't break. It won't but it will take a little while to be accustomed to accepting that yes, this is your child and always will be. Newborns are precious but don't expect them to sing and dance for you just yet. After a few more months, there comes the teeth and then the rolling over and the crawling and finally the walking that soon turns into running. Before you know it, you have a toddler, eating real tiny bits of food and uttering your name, "Momma?" "Dadda!"

The first year is amazing. If you sit back and think about it all, don't miss a moment. Enjoy every new task they learn. Something as simple as finding your hands and toes we take for granted; but for a new child, it's all new. Savor every second with your child that you can and enjoy the process of becoming a new parent. It's truly a time when a child grows fastest both physically and mentally and is truly a miracle and a gift. About the Author

Wait a minute! If you are a mom and looking for successful parenting styles and tips, do check our website.

Peter Couch

Self Help Tips for Successful Parenting

   by Peter Couchin Family / Parenting    (submitted 2011-09-19)

Have you found yourself caught up in day to day hustle and bustle with the kids going to football practices or dance lessons? Are your kids out of control some days and you want to lock yourself in the closet? Have you considered sitting them on the curb to see if anyone would take them?

(Just kidding on that last one).

There's no need to fret. Keep in mind the glory of being a parent. They say the best things in life are free. Kids aren't free, I suppose, but their love and affection is and can be very rewarding. Nothing matters more in the world than having a little version of you running through the water sprinkler, playing hide and seek, earning bowling trophies or just plain having the same facial expressions you do.

Remember that when you become stressed out. That's the number one tip for being a successful parent. Children are a joy to watch grow, flourish and succeed, no matter what their age may be.

Listen to your child. Let them express themselves scholarly, emotionally and physically.

Remember to keep calm. There may be days when the kids are bouncing off the walls and you're about to go crazy. Don't. Remember, they're just kids and you were like that once. Let them have fun. As long as they're not hurting themselves, there's no need to go ballistic on them. Simply remind them who's in charge. Keep in mind that this extra energy they're running off will help them sleep better at night which is actually a plus for you (you may even get some downtime to yourself out of it!).

Don't be afraid to ask other parents for advice. Some situations seem absolutely outrageous. Who thought to stick that penny up their nose anyway? Never fear, your peers can help you throughout the struggles

Just because you're in a foul mood perhaps because you were late for work or your car broke down, don't take it out on them. It's not their fault. Keep yourself from throwing your own temper tantrum. This will teach them to keep their cool in situations that make them angry. This creates a more harmonious environment for everyone.

Teach them. Spend time with them. Get to know them. Let them learn who they are and what their interests are.

Love your child. Show them affection. There's not enough hugs, kisses and "I love you's" to show how much they mean to you. If they aren't shown affection at a young age and throughout their lives, it may lead to relationship issues in the future. So show them love and show it often. About the Author

Wait a minute! If you are a mom and looking for successful parenting styles and tips, do check our website.

Peter Couch

Grandparents Reasons to Rear Grandchildren

   by John Neyman, Jr.in Family / Parenting    (submitted 2011-09-20)

Certainly most parents love their children. In fact, it's the main responsibility of parents to take care and rear up their children. However, there are certain cases where the grandparents are the one raising their grandchildren.

Statistics even shows that about 52% of grandparents below the age of 55 are raising their grandchildren. There are about 31% that are in between the ages of 55 and 64 and for the age 65, about 17%. For the grandchildren, as young as the age of 6, there are about 51% that are living in their grandparent's home. However, between the ages 6 and 11 is 29%, and for the ages 12 and 17, 20%. This is according to the U.S Bureau Census.

Here are some of the following reasons why grandparents rear their grandchildren.

These modern days there are many negative ways that are being learned by young children. Some grandparents are getting worried of what their grandchildren may learn. So they rear the child to shape the cultural and good personal identity of their grandchildren.
Grandparents are said to be well experienced in rearing a child since the parent of their grandchild is their own child. There are parents that are too busy working that they somehow come to neglect their own child. The grandparents may somehow see their grandchild not having a home. Due to this, they prefer to take care of the child themselves because they want to give them a place with home-like experience.

There are cases where the child's parents died even at their younger age. The grandparents don't want their grandchildren to go into foster homes. That's why they took the responsibility of taking care of the child.

In some situation, the parent is either divorced or single parent. Grandparents usually can't help it. They usually lend a hand and are of assistance to their child. But on other parents that have been contracted with illnesses that are contagious and would harm their grandchildren's health, the grandparents usually take hold of the child's responsibility.

Sad to say, there are bad parents that mistreat their children. Some of them neglect the child physically and emotionally where their immediate needs are not given. Some of them are being sexually abused, that would lead to trauma on the child. Financial help is also the most frequent reason given by grandparents who lived with grandchildren. With these sets of reasons, the grandparents are the one who take charge of their grandchildren.

These set of reason may differ. Situations vary in a case to case basis. But, grandparents that usually give their best for their grandchildren certainly love them so much. About the Author

Dr. John E. Neyman, Jr.
Christian Counselor

Dr. John has reared 3 children, Philip, Laura, and Matthew. Dr. John has been teaching families for the last 30 years. He is a family coach that specializes in parenting. Dr. John's motto is "Empowering parents to transform their homes." Dr. John was a pastor for 25 years.

Dr. John has been serving as a Counselor/therapist for 30 years. He is currently a Behavior Specialist Consultant and Mobile Therapist in Western PA. Dr. John also is the director /Owner of the Renewed Life Counseling Center. Dr. John is a bestselling author entitled Wake up Live the Life You love: Success and Wake up Live the Life You Love: Freedom.

Dr. John has developed a strategy that parents are able to use immediately, and effectively. It is entitled Power moments with Your Children. It takes less than 1 minute to put a strategy into place. Dr. John holds degrees from Liberty University and Rochville University.

Dr. John has a passion to teach principles that transforms lives. He has spoken to audiences from 4 to 4 thousand. Dr. John's teachings are practical, pointed, and powerful.

For more transforming strategies for ADHD, visit http://askdoctorjohn.info/

John Neyman, Jr.

Wedding invitation etiquette

   by Vickyin Family / Parenting    (submitted 2011-09-20)

The wedding invitation is a significant part in the whole wedding preparation and they set the tone for the big day. Hence, much attention has been attached to the making of the wedding invites. There are actually many etiquette for the wedding invites to consider. matters a lot in the invitation cards and they mainly depends on how one goes about deciding the criteria to adhere to while organizing a wedding. There are many rules to follow. Wedding invites, as you imagine, will be addressing many different guests, so it is advised to keep the language and wording simple and clear.
Since the wedding is invariably considered as the union of two people in love, so it is also the union of two families so the special ceremony should be of great quality and everything is needed to be perfect. All the names mentioned should be written in full with the initials. The address where the wedding is to be taken place along with the date and time should be specified very clearly. And the following are some tips when preparing the invitation etiquette.
There are actually many different ways to address the wedding envelopes. With careful envelopes addressing, you can avoid miscommunication and hurt feelings by letting them know what to expect for the big day. It will be great that you address all by hand since they will anyway create a feeling of sincerity to the recipients.
There are still some rules when sending the invitations. Usually speaking, it is advisable to send the invitations four to six weeks ahead of the event so that the guests can have plenty time to prepare for it more adequately. If you are planning a wedding at a busy time like around the Christmas or New Year, you are supposed to send them earlier.

Registering for gifts is another fun aspect when planning a wedding. Of course every guest wants to have their gifts registered, so it is not necessary to announce it publicly in the invitations. When you register, you should clarify them carefully and clearly so that people can have clear glimpse of the gifts.

Thank you note is probably the last procedure in the wedding invitations
, it is always sent about two weeks after the wedding to express the gratitude of the attendance and the help they may kindly offered you during the wedding. What's more, it is a act showing your sincerity, which matters a lot in the wedding planning.
About the Author

vicky is focused on the wedding invitation writing for a long time and her original thought about the wedding planning is really impressive.

Vicky

Find out how you can protect yourself and your family during natural disasters

   by Alfred Carlin Family / Parenting    (submitted 2011-09-20)

The urge to survive is the hallmark of life, all living organisms aim for self preservation. The survival instinct is hardwired in every organism. This is true even of the simplest living organisms like bacteria. As Darwin pointed out, only the fittest survive and that simple law drives evolution. Our species could evolve because our ancestors were able to develop the skills necessary to ensure their survival. Although we are well prepared as a species to survive most natural disasters, as individuals we are very ill prepared.

Injured, helpless and alone - that is the state most victims of natural disasters find themselves in when nature lets loose its fury. Natural disasters are just one of the many threats we face, there is also the constant threat of terrorist attacks, biological warfare and what not. Ask yourself, are you truly capable of protecting yourself and your family when a crisis shows its terrifying face. Man-made and natural disasters kill thousands of people every year. The death count can be lowered if people are always prepared for emergencies. It is plain stupid to assume that the government will always be there to help you. Never forget, you are the only help you have during a crisis. Therefore, it is important that you are prepared to survive anything.

Military personnel are trained to survive anything and everything they might encounter in the field. It takes years of training and study to get to that level of preparedness and even then success or survival is not guaranteed. Military grade survival training requires significant resources and the average American neither has the time nor the deep pockets required. One cheap and effective shortcut will be to just absorb the material survival experts like Damian Campbell, Bear Grylls and others are dishing out. But that also is not easy because you don't have a central reference. Damian Campbell has created a booklet on how to survive anything. Survial shows on TV are also a good source of some tried and tested survival tips.

Your mind and your attitude are the main equipment in your survival tool kit. Good preparation, as Damian Campbell says, is essential for survival. You have to be prepared and you have to be smart. And you don't have to spend a fortune to survive anything. Almost everything you need to survive most disasters can be bought at your local supermarket. Good preparation means complete preparation. This is difficult considering you never know what crisis you might have to face. In the least, strong shelters, food and water supply, and some self defense weapons are the basic requirements.

Essentially survival is all about preparation and your will to fight and survive. With proper preparation and with the right attitude it is possible to survive anything. About the Author

The survival booklet - Survive Anything Damian Campbell is a great guide on urban survival preparedness. The booklet provides great advice on how to survive anything without having to spend a fortune.

Alfred Carl

Adoption Myths: All About Birthmothers

Cover via Amazon   by Mardie Caldwellin Family / Parenting    (submitted 2011-09-20)
A myth, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is "a story that is usually of unknown origin and at least partially traditional, that ostensibly relates historical events usually of such character as to serve to explain some practice, belief, institution, or natural phenomenon."
Myths develop because not enough is known about a person or situation. Myths about birthmothers are no different. They have developed from a variety of sources, and society has come to develop them into a stereotype birthmother. For our purposes, let's call her Mary.
If you believe all the myths about Mary, then she is a teenager who has made a mistake with her boyfriend and finds herself pregnant. Because she is pregnant, she has dropped out of school. She has no job skills, so she has to go on welfare because her parents kicked her out. She does not want a baby and does not love the baby. She thinks it will be nice to find a situation where she could be a co-parent, letting other people help her but see the baby every couple of weeks, just in case she wants him back.
Are most birthmothers really like Mary? In a word, no.
The picture painted of Mary presents an overview of the six most common myths and misconceptions about birthmothers.
Myth 1: All birthmothers are teenagers.
The ages of birthmothers encompass the range of childbearing years. Yes, some are teenagers, but there are also women in their forties who are pregnant and considering adoption. The majority are in their twenties and thirties.
Myth 2: They are choosing adoption so they must not love the baby.
The decision to place a child for adoption is an extremely difficult one, often made because the birthmother loves her child. She often could have chosen an abortion, but, because she values the life of her baby, she has decided adoption is best for the child.
There are circumstances when a birthmother does not take care of herself because of a lack of self-love or other factors that may contribute to a self-loathing attitude. Because of this, she does not get proper treatment, and the child may be born with problems associated with alcohol and/or drugs.
Myth 3: All birthmothers are poor.
It is true that some birthmothers are on welfare and do not feel they can adequately provide for the baby. It is also true that there are birthmothers coming from middle-class backgrounds. They may already have children, may be attending college, or may live with their parents. This applies to teenagers and older people alike.
The truth is typically somewhere in between. Often, they feel like they are getting by but simply cannot provide for one more child in the midst of all they are already doing.
Myth 4: Birthmothers are never married.
Some are not married. Some are married. Marital status has little to do with whether or not a woman should consider adoption. A woman should never decide to parent a baby simply because they are married.
Married couples often are surprised with an unplanned pregnancy. For a struggling family, decisions such as this can be heart-wrenching and difficult, especially for a couple who cannot afford another child or whose relationship is strained to a near-breaking point already.
Myth 5: Birthmothers have no education and no job skills.
Birthmothers can have college degrees, can be going to school, or have a prominent position. Most all have completed high school and have held jobs. Many are currently parenting other children which can be a full-time job! Some may have learning disabilities that make it difficult for them in a school setting.
Myth 6: Birthmothers want ongoing contact in case they change their minds.
Open adoption does not mean that the birthmother wants a co-parent. With open adoption, the birthmother gets to know the people who are adopting the child. Adoptive parents let the birthmother get to know the child as he or she grows up. All parenting decisions are made by the adoptive parents. Through this process, the birthmother knows her child and has the piece of mind that she has made the right decision.
A birthmother has a certain time period in which she can revoke consent of the adoption, usually no more than 30 days. After that, she can no longer change her mind.
So then what's a typical birthmother like?
A typical birthmother is in her 20's, parenting other children, and wants a better life for her child than she can provide. She may have a man in her life, but likely not one that is currently taking the role of an active dad to her kids. She realizes that adoption is a difficult decision but she knows it is the best choice for this child. She also knows that while ongoing contact may be painful sometimes, she needs the reassurance that her child is growing up happy, healthy, and with the family that she choose for him or her. About the Author
Mardie is a Certified Open Adoption Practitioner, who founded Lifetime Adoption Center (http://www.LifetimeChristianAdoption.com) in 1986 and is currently facilitating over 130 adoptions a year. She has also written numerous books on adoption, including Called To Adoption: The Christian's Guide to Answering the Call (http://www.CalledToAdoption.com).
Mardie Caldwell

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